by Tara Rose
Celina leaned back against the seat. She had a few more days with them, no matter what happened. But how she wished they’d ask her not to take the job. If they did, she’d call the firm right now and tell them not to bother considering her. The hell with what Lucie thought of that. Arizona and Dallas had told her she could work for them.
But she knew that wouldn’t happen. They wanted this to be her choice, but she had no idea how in the hell she could make it. She didn’t want to leave them.
Chapter Nine
When they reached Dallas’s house, they asked if she needed anything else to eat, but Celina wasn’t hungry. Not for food, anyway. She stripped off her dress and underwear, her gaze glued to their faces. She wanted to memorize every tiny detail of them tonight. She’d hold this week in her memory forever, no matter what happened by Monday.
Once she was naked, they started to undress but she asked them not to. It was so sexy to not be dressed while they still were. Instead, she knelt in front of them. “Use me, Sirs. Play with me. Make me yours. Mark me as your own, and then fuck me in any way you want to.”
“Oh my God,” whispered Arizona, tangling his fingers in her hair. “You are the sexiest woman on the planet. You have to be.”
Dallas stepped closer to her and stroked her face. “You already are marked as ours, Celina.”
While her mind reeled as she tried to make sense of that statement, they lifted her to her feet and took her to Dallas’s bedroom, where they tied her to the St. Andrew’s Cross using soft bondage rope on her wrists and ankles.
She faced them, and they left the blindfold off so she could watch, which was fine. Anything they wanted tonight. Anything. As long as she was with them it didn’t matter. They took their time choosing toys, letting her squirm against her bonds and whimper in anticipation, and she loved them for doing so.
When they finally made their choices, they alternated punishing her nipples and pussy with different floggers, letting her experience both thudding and stinging sensations. She couldn’t get enough of it. She loved them all, but found the ones with thin falls more challenging because the stinging sensations built on top of each other until her skin was on fire.
They gave her short breaks by caressing her skin, sucking her nipples, and playing with her clit, but all that did was increase her arousal and make her want them even more. When they turned her around to paddle and flog her ass, they also strapped on a vibrating bullet so that she had one continuous orgasm that didn’t let up.
Celina didn’t even try to process all the emotions. She simply gave over to them. She’d stay here in these two homes for the rest of her life if that were possible. She was so in love with both these men that the words were right there, ready to spill out, but she held back.
That would be the height of unfairness right now and she couldn’t do that to them. She couldn’t do it to herself. For now, this night was enough. She’d take it and embrace it, and then hold the memories in her heart forever.
By the time they untied her from the cross and laid her on the bed, she was dizzy and panting. They gave her water to drink, but she knew they weren’t done with her. Everything hurt and Celina didn’t care. They were the most exquisite lovers on the planet, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life on this hill with them, giving her body, heart, and soul to them every single day.
If only she could find the courage to say the words. To tell them she loved them. But how could she do that without knowing whether they felt the same way? She’d be humiliated. There had been so many times the past few days when she swore she saw the same emotion she felt pouring from their eyes, but how could that be? She was only hoping it was true. That was why she thought she saw it. They’d given her no reason to believe they loved her as well.
They’d talked her into going on this job interview. They wouldn’t have done that if they loved her and wanted her to stay. She was grasping at straws here. But even as those thoughts raced around her mind, doubt crept in. They did love her. She knew they did. It was evident in their touch, their glances, and in every gesture.
So why haven’t they told you that?
Were they waiting for her to say it first? Were they afraid if they said it she wouldn’t feel as if the choice to take the job in New Orleans was a viable option? What if they were simply trying to let her make a choice that quite literally would affect the rest of her life?
They made love to her slowly and gently again, filling each of her holes in turn, and then her pussy and asshole together again, taking turns. She’d never had this much sex or play in such a short time before, but it wasn’t only the physical peace she found so fulfilling. She enjoyed their company more than that of any person she’d ever known. She couldn’t leave them. She simply couldn’t.
* * * *
Thursday, it rained all day and the three spent their time in Dallas’s house, watching movies, eating popcorn, and talking about everything except the curse and Celina’s impending job offer. At one point, she had to cover her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh out loud during a phone call to Arizona from his sister. It was obvious from Arizona’s responses that Lucie was pumping him for information on how the week was going.
Arizona put the phone on speaker, but no matter how much Dallas tried to distract her, Celina couldn’t hold back her laughter. Arizona even tried to tell Lucie that Dallas and Celina were goofing around and that was the noise she heard in the background, but Lucie was too sharp for that.
“Take me off speaker.”
Celina started laughing again at the tone in Lucie’s voice, until Dallas picked her up and carried her to another part of the house. She no longer gave a shit what Lucie thought of her, or whether she ever returned to work in the legal department. Everything had changed. Everything. She couldn’t go backward now, and she didn’t want to. She only wanted her life to continue from this point on with Arizona and Dallas, and she knew that life had to be on Sybaris Cove.
Traveling to and from New Orleans every weekend wasn’t an option, even if she could afford it. She couldn’t stay away from them all week, and she didn’t want to. She’d go to work for them in marketing but she couldn’t go to New Orleans, no matter how much of a dream-job offer it was.
* * * *
Friday morning, they’d all taken a shower together and were in Arizona’s kitchen, making breakfast, when Celina’s cell phone rang. She stared at the New Orleans number as tears spilled over her lashes. It was the job offer. She knew it. Maybe if she didn’t answer they’d give up.
“Answer it,” said Dallas, his voice quiet and soft.
She shook her head.
Arizona swiped across her screen and handed her the phone, his face full of sadness and resignation.
“Hello?” Celina listened to them offer her the job, and then she heard her voice asking for the weekend to discuss it with her family since it meant leaving the island. She marveled at how calm she’d sounded asking for time to think about it while they agreed without hesitation. She ended the call, closed her phone, and walked outside.
Sobs racked her body as she leaned against the porch railing. There was no point in trying to stop the tears. They came, and even when both men followed her outside and held her, whispering trite phrases about what a great opportunity this was for her, and how she’d waited for this for years now, the tears still wouldn’t stop.
“But I don’t want to go,” she said, her voice muffled against Dallas’s chest. “I can’t.”
He brushed away her tears and gazed into her face with such tenderness that she was sure her heart would break. “Give it some time. Think about it.”
“I don’t have to think about it. Did you both mean it when you said I could earn an MBA and you’d hire me?” What if they hadn’t? What if they’d only said that in the heat of the moment?
He exchanged a surprised glance with Arizona. “Of course we did. But this isn’t New Orleans. You have a chance at a great job with far more opportunities than you’d ever ha
ve here.”
Celina took several deep breaths to clear her head. She had to get this out. No matter what happened as a result, the time to speak up was now or it would be lost forever. “But you’re not in New Orleans and you never will be. Neither of you. You’re here.”
“Celina.” Dallas brushed a finger across her face. “It’s okay. Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”
“Take the weekend,” said Arizona. “You told them you would, so do it. Think about everything it would mean for your dreams.”
She couldn’t do this any longer. She had to tell them and damn the consequences. She wiped her face and stared at them, praying this wouldn’t blow up in her face. “You’re my dreams. Both of you.”
“Oh, Celina…” Arizona pulled her close and held her. She longed to see the expression on his face right now, but his arms were tight around her body. Had he done that on purpose so she couldn’t see his reaction?
She forced her body away from his and gazed at him and Dallas in turn. “I’m not kidding. I don’t need to go to New Orleans. I found what I wanted right here. With you two.”
“You’re not thinking clearly right now,” said Dallas. The pain on his face and in his eyes didn’t match the words. She didn’t understand that. Why wouldn’t they simply tell her not to go? “None of us are. It’s been a fantasy week. This is a real opportunity for you.”
The pain in her heart overshadowed her confusion about the job. “And what about the offer you two gave me? Was that fantasy, as well?” She had to know.
“Of course not,” said Arizona. “But we can’t let you throw away something you’ve dreamed about for years. Don’t you understand that? We’d never do that to you.”
She swallowed hard as she tried to process everything they’d just said. The first thing she needed to do was calm down. They weren’t pushing her away. They were only trying to do what they felt was best for her. “I understand that my dreams have changed. I want to be here with you two.”
“And if you regret it one day?” asked Arizona. “What then? Maybe you won’t right away. Maybe you won’t in a month. But what about next year? Or the year after that?”
She moved closer and touched his face. “Sir, this isn’t Casablanca.”
He almost smiled.
“I’m not going to regret my decision. My place is on Sybaris Cove with you two. It always was. I simply didn’t know it until now.”
“Celina…you have to be sure. We can’t let you…”
His voice trailed off as one of his staff members came outside to tell them that Lucie had arrived.
Celina wiped her tears again and tried to straighten her hair, but she knew she was a mess. She didn’t care. What she looked like in front of Lucie wasn’t her issue right now. And why the hell was she here, anyway? Shouldn’t she be at work? Had something happened in the department? Celina wasn’t ready to go back. Not right now, at least. Maybe not ever. Not until she said what she had to say to Arizona and Dallas, and that included telling them that she loved them. Until she said the words, they wouldn’t understand why she no longer wanted to leave the island.
Chapter Ten
Lucie’s heels clicked on the stone floor as Celina looked helplessly from Dallas to Arizona. At least they were all dressed this morning. If Lucie had shown up any other day, they’d have been out here naked, or in their underwear at best. As she came into view, she took off her sunglasses and looked from one to the other, surprise and anger on her face.
“I just heard from my contact at The Caldwell Law Firm. You asked for the weekend to think about it? To discuss it with your family? What family? Celina, what’s going on? I set this job up for you. Why didn’t you jump on it? You’ve made a fool out of me.”
“No one has made a fool out of you, Lucie.” Arizona’s tone was full of disgust. “Calm down.”
“I set up this interview. My reputation is on the line.”
“No it’s not. And you sound like you want Celina to leave. Why is that?”
Lucie looked flustered, and Celina was torn between wanting to pump her fist in the air and even more confusion. They were sticking up for her. Did they want her to leave or not? What did they want? Why couldn’t they simply say it?
You can’t say what you want.
Touché.
“That’s not true,” said Lucie. “I don’t want her to leave, but appearances are everything in business. She shouldn’t have hesitated to take the job, and she certainly shouldn’t have lied about a nonexistent family.”
“This really isn’t any of your business,” said Arizona. “It’s Celina’s. And I doubt you have to worry about your standing with them. If you have enough influence to set up an interview that led to a job offer that was already a foregone conclusion, I’m sure they won’t think any less of you now.”
“Why did they divulge this information to you, anyway?” asked Dallas, narrowing his eyes. “How deep are you with them?”
“That isn’t your concern.” Her tone was dismissive.
Arizona draped an arm across Celina’s shoulder. “Yes, it is.” His voice was soft but with an edge that Celina had never heard. It sent shivers up and down her spine.
Lucie placed her hands on her hips. “What? Why?”
When Dallas moved to her other side and placed his arm around her, Celina began to cry again, but this time they were tears of joy. Was this possible? Dare she hope to believe what their gestures conveyed? All this angst over whether or not she should leave, and all this time they’d felt the same way?
Lucie frowned. “What the hell is going on here?”
“What’s going on,” said Arizona, “is that you’ve lost the bet. We’ve shared her, in and out of bed, and no one is dead. In fact, I’ve never felt more alive in my life. And we love her. We both do. She’s not leaving this island to work in New Orleans. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
Celina stared at him, certain she’d hallucinated his words.
“Same here,” said Dallas. “I love her, too. She’s staying. And she’s going to earn an MBA and work for us in marketing.”
Lucie’s jaw dropped open and her mouth moved, but no sound came out. Celina glanced from one man to the other, her breathing coming in short gasps. She placed one hand over her heart. “Is it true? Do you mean this?”
Arizona smiled down at her. “Yes, it’s true. We had to be sure you really wanted to pass up the opportunity, Celina. Otherwise we’d regret it for the rest of our lives. So now’s your chance to tell Lucie. Did you mean what you said before? That you want to stay here? Are you one hundred percent sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything else in my life. Except…” She glanced from him to Dallas. “Except that I love you, too. Both of you. Do you mean it? Do you love me? Is it really true?”
Arizona kissed her, right on the lips, in front of his sister. “Yes, it’s true. I love you. I’m crazy in love with you. You can’t leave. Please, don’t go. Stay. Right here on this hill with both of us.”
“But…” She couldn’t find the words in her confusion. “But you let me go on the interview. You talked me into it. You said it was a great opportunity.”
Dallas brushed a finger along her face and she shivered again. “We had to do that. Like Arizona said, this had to be your decision, not ours. We can’t leave, but you can. And you told us how much you wanted new experiences. How could we ask you not to take a chance? It wouldn’t have been right or fair to you.”
The realization of what they’d done and why finally dawned on her. “Oh my God… You were willing to let me go just so I could be happy. You did that for me. Oh God…I love you, too. I love you both. Oh, God…this is real. You mean it.” Every happy thought she’d ever had bubbled up, and she laughed as Arizona picked her up and twirled her around.
When he placed her on her feet, Dallas picked her up and held her so tightly she could barely take a full breath. “I love you, too. And there is no fucking way you’re
leaving this island.”
“And I love you. I don’t want to leave. I can’t. I want to stay right here with both of you.”
Dallas held her close again, stroking her hair and back. Celina closed her eyes, finally understanding what it felt like for every wish she’d ever had to come true at the same time. She was sure she’d melt right into his warm body and fuse there for the rest of her life.
“Is this a joke?” Lucie’s voice broke through her fog of joy.
“No,” said Arizona. “It’s not. You lost the bet. Now get out of here. We’re busy.” He kissed Celina’s neck, and she giggled at the look of utter disbelief on Lucie’s face.
Dallas brushed a hand up Celina’s arm. “You’d better leave, Lucie. We’re about to get naked with Celina. We’ll see you Monday. Don’t stop by again unless you want to see something that will scar you for life.”
Celina laughed again as Dallas picked her up and carried her toward the pool. Just before he placed her on her feet again and kissed her, she caught sight of Lucie practically running into the house. Arizona was next to her now as well, and as both men kissed her and removed her clothing, she sighed in perfect contentment.
Reality had more than lived up to fantasy. She had what she’d always wanted in her two sexy Doms and lovers, right here on this island. It had always been here. And she would spend the rest of her life proving to these two how very, very much she loved them.
* * * *
Celina knelt on the pool cushion Arizona had placed in front of her. He and Dallas stood in front of her, and surrounding them were a multitude of friends and family members who were in the BDSM lifestyle. Lucie, although she’d been invited to Celina’s collaring ceremony, had declined to attend.
Stars lit up the sky, and torches provided additional light as Dallas held up a gold necklace with tiny hearts. “Everyone knows the story by now of how this started.” His smile warmed her heart and her entire body. She could gaze at it every moment of every day and never grow tired of it. “But Arizona and are going to recap for the benefit of those here tonight who haven’t.”